Lesson Plan Format Using Understanding by Design Framework

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Title: Structured Academic Controversy: FDR’s New Deal

Grade: 9th Grade
Author: Alyssa Albaugh modified from Stanford History Education Group
Number of Class Periods:1
Essential Questions: Was the New Deal a Success or Failure?
State of Michigan Content Standards (GLCEs/HSCEs):
 P1.1 Use appropriate strategies to read and analyze social science tables, graphs, graphics, maps
and texts.
 P1.2 Interpret primary and secondary source documents for point of view, context and frame of
reference or perspective.
 7.1.3 New Deal – Evaluate Roosevelt’s New Deal policies
Learning Objectives: Students will be able to identify the multiple responses to the New Deal, using
historical evidence, and use that evidence to explain their own opinion on the topic. They will be able to
analyze primary sources and use those sources to find key examples of support for the New Deal and
examples against the New Deal.
Content Rationale: It is important for students to understand the New Deal policies, the consequences
and legacies of the policies, as well as the opposition to the New Deal. Once they exposed to this wide
range of information, both positive and negative, about the New Deal they will be able to analyze primary
sources and use those sources to find their opinion towards the New Deal.
Instructional Strategy Rationale: Using the SAC is beneficial in many ways. Students are able to work
in small groups and essentially control their lesson, to a certain extent. They are able to find the
information on their own from real primary sources and experience history in their classroom. They are
then able to debate with one another about the opinion they are assigned to. This challenges students to
work together, be patient, and understanding about ones opinion. Although this lesson revolves around the
New Deal, I feel the strategies used during this lesson are just as important.
Background and Context: Students have learned the causes of the Great Depression, the impact the
Great Depression had on the average American across the United States, and
have spent the last month learning about the causes and consequences of the Great Depression, as well as
the policies of the New Deal and their effects on the economy. This lesson allows them to think more
critically about the New Deal policies, by reading accounts of people affected by it, in addition to other
texts which give insight into the level of effectiveness of the New Deal.

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence (Assessment)

Diagnostic/Formative Assessments: Students will analyze primary sources and document the evidence
they find on the worksheet that will be provided for them. The worksheet will be used when they present
their findings to one another.
Summative Unit Assessments: Students will be tested on their understanding of the Great Depression
and the New Deal later on this week.

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences (Procedure)

Instructional Strategy (please include estimated time for each step):

 Opening/Activator: Introduction to the SAC schedule and documents. Pass out the documents for
students to use for research. (5 minutes)
 Activities:
o Step 1: Students will spend the beginning of the class researching their stance that they
have been assigned with their partner and organize how they will present their side. (20
minutes)
o Step 2: Team A will to present their side, while Team B takes notes on their argument. (10
minutes)
o Step 3: Team B will present their side while Team A takes notes on their argument. (10
minutes)
o Step 4: Students will then have the opportunity to decide for themselves whether the New
Deal was a success of a failure based on the primary sources they examined. Students will
be able to state their opinion and defend it using their prior knowledge. (5 mins)
 Anticipated Students Interactions/Questions:
o It is my hope that students ask themselves “Why is this activity important”. I hope they
understand the importance of giving the opposing side a chance to explain their opinion.
This skill is important in our daily lives because there will always be someone who does
not agree with you.
o I hope they also challenge this assignment by asking, “Why is the new deal important
now?” I hope they understand that some of the programs during the New Deal are still
existent today and have a lasting affect on expectations for our president as well as our
expectations for government assistance when the citizens are struggling financially.
 Closing/Summarizer: I will designate each of the four corners of the room as “Strongly agree”,
“Somewhat agree”, “Strongly disagree”, and “Somewhat disagree”. Students will be able to go to the
corner of the room that represents their position toward the statement: “The New Deal was a success”.
This will wrap up the SAC by allowing students to demonstrate their own personal opinion on the topic.

Anticipated Total Time Required: 55 minutes

Other Important Information

Materials: Stanford History Education Group lesson plan is attached in a PDF. Attached below is the
worksheet my students will use to document the information they find from the primary sources. They
will need those sources, the worksheet to document, as well as a utensil for writing.

Modifications and Accommodations: I have grouped students strategically, to accommodate for

academic weaknesses and personality differences. The lesson is outlined and scaffolded with worksheets,
to assist with students who struggle to formulate and articulate their ideas on a topic.
Name: _____________________

Structured Academic Controversy:

FDR’s New Deal
President Franklin D. Roosevelt is best known for leading the country through the Great
Depression. The New Deal was a set of policies designed to provide “relief, recovery, and
reform” that would alleviate the suffering of millions of Americans.

During today’s SAC, you will work in teams to discuss whether the New Deal was a success or
a failure. The goal in doing a Structured Academic Controversy, is that you will look at the topic
as a whole, see both sides of the argument, and find common ground as a group.

SAC Question:
During the SAC, you and your group will try to answer the following question:

Was the New Deal a Success or Failure?

Team A will argue: The New Deal was a SUCCESS.

Team B will argue: The New Deal was a FAILURE.

Schedule:
20 minutes With your partner, use the New Deal document packet to research your stance.
Find five pieces of evidence that support your side. Decide who will present what
points.

10 minutes Team A presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!!

Team B takes notes on Team A’s main points, then repeats them back to Team A.

10 minutes Team B presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!!

Team A takes notes on Team B’s main points, then repeats them back to Team B.

5 minutes Everyone can abandon their assigned position. The group as a whole will attempt
to develop a consensus.
 Organizing the Evidence
Use this space to write your main points and the main points made by the other side.

The New Deal was a success: List the 5 main points/evidence that support this side.

1. From Document ______:

2. From Document ______:

3. From Document ______:

4. From Document ______:

5. From Document ______:

The New Deal was a failure: List the 5 main points/evidence that support your side.

1. From Document ______:

2. From Document ______:

3. From Document ______:

4. From Document ______:

5. From Document ______: